Holder for containers, such as jars, bottles, canisters and the like



Aug. 30, 1949. 'J. F. KENNEDY 2,480,411

HOLDER FOR CONTAINERS, SUCH AS JARS, BOTTLES, CANISTERS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 8, 1947 Patented Aug. 30, 1949 I HOLDER FOR CONTAINERS, SUCH AS JARS, BOTTLES, CANISTERS AND THE LIKE Jerome Francis Kennedy, London, England Application August 8, 1947, Serial No. 767,620 g In Great Britain January 23, 1945' Section 1, Public Law 690, August 8, 1946 Patent expires January 28, 1963 7 Claims.

This invention relates to holders for containers, in particular for containers of the circular mouthed jar or bottle type, such as standard glass jam jars, kitchen cabinet condiment jars, druggists chemical jars, and the like, normally used with a loose removable stopper or lid and having a downwardly facing bearing surface as an integral part thereof, capable of resting or sliding on a cooperating bearing surface, forming part of the .said holder. Containers as just described are hereinafter referredto as of the kind specified.

The invention has for an object the provision of an improved holder, embodying :a means of closure, to replace the said normally removable loose stopper or lid for containers of the kind specified.

Another object is to provide means for enabling the mouth of the said container more readily to be opened or closed and moreover by the use of one hand only.

Another object is to provide means for promoting a more orderly appearance of the place where the said containers are kept, while ensuring the latter being readily at hand, when required.

With these ends in view I provide, according to this invention, a holder for containers of the kind specified, embodying a support with upper and lower elements and a separate movable lid positioned ther'ebetween, the said lower support element, consisting of runners which engage beneath opposite sides of a peripheral flange near the top of a container to support the latter when the flange is pushed into the runners. The said support elements and lid are 'so shaped and arranged that, when the container flange is pushed onto the runners, the lid will be forced into position to seal the container mouth, and conversely, when the container is withdrawn from off the runners, the disengagement of the container mouth from the seating surface of the lid is effected, so that the container is removable while the lid remains normally in the holder.

Cir

The engagement of the lid upon the container er with the container and at all times when :such

removal is not desired. It is also a feature of the invention in its preferred form that when circular mouthed containers having downwardly inclined peripheral flanges at their upper .ends aresupported in the'holder, the runners of the holder will engage at points only on opposite sides of such a flange thereby giving a rocking support to the container. This rocking support enables the mouth of th contain-er to adapt itself to the gen.- eral plane of the seating area on the under surface of the lid, when the lid has been forced into seating engagement between the container mouth and the upper support element, as the container is pushed back upon the runners, thus ensuring a tight seal of the container.

When the said holder is clipped, screwed or otherwise attached to a shelf, cupboard door, wall or other substantially fixed object, the said hold-- er remains in situ thereon, on the container being removed therefrom.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, in the first place, the containers require no "lids other than the means of closure embodied in the holder and consequently, the lid is thus not liable to be m'islaid in use. In the second place, since the lid is anchored to the holder, the withdrawal of the container from the holder simultaneously opens the mouth of the container, and vice versa, i. e. the replacement similarly closes the mouth. Further, the attachment of the holders to a substantially fixed object enables the containers to be opened orclosed by the use of one hand only.

Finally, when several units of the holder are combined or are attached in rows, as they normally will be, to some substantially fixed obj ect, a more orderly appearance of the place, where the containers are kept, is thereby achieved, while the containers are likewise always readily at'hand, and, by attaching a battery of holders to the .in-.- side of a cupboard door, or under the front edge of ashelf, for example, considerable space economy can also be effected.

In order that the invention may be understood more clearly attention is directed to the accompanying drawings, illustrating some of the forms in which the invention may be carried into efiect. In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a single unit of one form of holder adapted to be secured to the underside of a shelf or the like.

Fig. 2 is a similar View of a modified form of holder adapted to be mounted on a wall or other vertical surface and Fig. 3 'is a front elevation of another modified tormof holder in which a her of containers can be supported, one complete unit and part of the next being shown.

Referring to Fig. 1, a pair of parallel runners I are provided, which are adapted to straddle the neck 2, of a container 3 which is herein depicted as a glass jam jar with a peripheral fiange 4. The runners I are Shown as extending forwardly from and being integral with a bracket, having an upwardly extending portion Ia, having an horizontal extension Ib, which is fixedly secured, as is indicated at I2 to the underside of a horizontal strip or shelf II, which may be secured to any permanent horizontal surface such as the underside of a cupboard shelf. The shelf II and runners I constitute the upper and lower elements of the holder referred to above.

The container 3 is shown as having a circular peripheral flange 4, immediately below the mouth 5, this flange having a downwardly and inwardly curved or inclined lower surface as is indicated at I I, this constitutin the bearing surface of the container which rests on the upper bearing surfaces 6 of runners I. It will be seen that surface I I, of flange 4, will make virtually point contacts at opposite sides of the same with runners I, so that the container is rockably mounted until the lid has seated firmly on the container mouth.

The lid I, which may be of varying shapes, is

shown in Fig. 1 as fiat and is there shown as having upwardly bowed tongues 8 secured centrally thereto at 9, those tongues slidably engaging in lugs I 0, I0 extending downwardly from the under surface of horizontal strip I I. These tongues are preferably resilient, and it will be evident that when a container is pushed into position with its lower flange surface [1, sliding over runners I, coaction between these tongues and horizontal strip II, will force the lid into firm seating engagement upon the mouth of the container.

The under surface 20 of the lid is preferably of rubber or the like over which the mouth of the jar 3 will not glide readily, and in this case the lid will have a limited slidin movement with the container as the latter is moved on to or withdrawn from the runners. tainer is pushed on to the runners, the friction between the lid and the mouth of the jar will cause the lid to move a short distance rearwardly with the jar until both the lid and the container reach the position shown in Fig. 1. In so moving,

the lid will be forced firmly against the mouth of the jar, partly by the resilience of the tongues 8, and partly by a wedging action, since the tongues are mounted in angular relation to shelf I I, so that, as the lid moves to the right in Fig. 1, the portion of tongues 8, which slide through lugs I 0 and press against the underside of shelf II, will be progressively higher.

Similarly, on withdrawal of the jar from the holder, the flange 4 of the jar slides along and So off the ends of the runners I, and the jar is then free to drop out of the holder, but the lid is prevented from inadvertent separation from the holder, so that the withdrawal of the jar simultaneously opens it. It will be seen that lugs I 0 act as detent means to prevent entire removal of the lid from the holder together with the jar be cause of the bowed shape of the tongues 8, which slidably engage within these lugs. If, however,

the lid moves somewhat to the left with the jar,

referring to Fig. 1, because of frictional engagement with the jar mouth, when the jar is withdrawn, the tongues 8 will slide through these lugs a short distance so that lower portions of the tongues, whichare to the right of the lugs in Thus, when the con- 4 the closed Fig. 1 position, will engage within the lugs.

In the modified structure shown in Fig. 2, the runners 1, are secured as indicated at I 5 to a vertical strip I4 which may be secured to a wall, as by means of screws 2|. In this case the tongue 8a, is secured as is indicated at I3 to the vertical strip I4, and engages a pair of lugs Ia, which extend upwardly from the lid as shown, tongue 8a slanting downwardly from both ends towards its central portion. In this case the lid I is shown as dished at 20a so as to seat upon the upper edge 50 of the mouth of the jar and also center within the mouth 5, at 5b, whereby its retentive grip on the mouth 5 is increased. The central portion of the tongue 8a is downwardly curved to press on the center of the dished lid when the jar is in its supported position, as shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that, when the jar is pushed upon the runners, its upper edge will slide under the lid until the dished portion 20a. of the latter snaps into place within the mouth of the jar 51), because of the resilient pressure of the central portion of tongue 8a upon the center of the lid. The withdrawal of the jar 3 from the holder will, of course, cause the lid to rise sufllciently against the resilient pressure of tongue 8a to permit the jar to pass the same. Tongue 8a is shown as provided with a downwardly bent portion I3 and an upturned forward end I8a to form a stop or detent means against which the interior edge of the dish 20a, and the forward lug IIla, on the lid, respectively, are adapted to abut, when the jar is withdrawn from the holder to prevent unintentional withdrawal of the lid from the holder. I

In the form of device shown in Fig. 3 a fitment is shown in which a plurality of similar holders for supporting containers side by side are provided, the right hand holder being shown and part of the next one. As shown the fitment may be secured to a vertical wall to which two or more L-shaped brackets 24, of which the right hand one is shown, are secured, as by screws 2I. The right hand runner I as shown in Fig. 3, is part of an angular member, having an upwardly extending arm Ia with a horizontal extension Ib, from its upper end, which is supported upon the horizontal arm 25 of bracket 24, the top strip II of the holder being mounted upon that, these parts being secured together by bolts or the like I2. The construction will be the same at the opposite or left hand end of the fitment, while at intermediate points, as is shown at the left of Fig. 3, two runners I, I are formed integral with a channel shaped member Ic, secured to the under side of, or integral with, strip II.

If it is desired to attach the fitment to a horizontal surface such as the under side of an existing shelf instead of to a vertical surface, the brackets 24 will, of course, be superfluous, since strip II can be secured to the under side of the shelf, as by screws 26.

In this form of construction, the tongues 8b are integral with the lid 1 and take the form of upwardly bowed portions thereof or ribs, which extend rearwardly beyond the rear of the runners I, I, and are adapted to press against the under side of the strip II. The rear ends of these ribs are shown as having lugs IIlb, IIlb projecting outwardly therefrom and as engaging behind the upwardly extending arms Ia, Ia of the runners I, I to act as detent means for preventing unintended removal of the lid 1 with the container.

Also, in this construction, the lid 1 is dished arsaau porting an equal number of containers side "bysid'e' and that the containers may .be inserted in position and withdrawn from the holders in the same manner, as above described, with a dished lid bein forced into firm position in, on :or around the mouth of the container when the latter .is pushed back on the runners, and being freed from the mouth of the container when the latter is withdrawn. Holders, according to the embodiments illustrated in .Figs. 1 and 2 can similarly be joined together in a series of holders by means .of the horizontal strip .II or vertical strip :14. 7

It will be seen that in all of the embodiments of the invention described, means are provided for causing one or each of the co-acting seating surfaces lid, on the mouth 5, and 20, 2% on the lid 1, respectively to adapt itself to the general plane of the other, when the container flange is pushed on to the runners l.

Thus, for example, in the embodiments described, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, the lid is so mounted in the holder above the runners and below the upper support element (such as strip II), as to be capable of limited swinging and linear movements, so that .its under seating surface may more readily adapt itself to the general plane of the seating area of the mouth of a supported container. Also, when a container having a downwardly sloping circular top flange (as shown in all three figures) is supported on flat runners, substantially point contacts between the runners and the flange on diametrically opposite points of the latter will be provided so that the container, (until clamped into position by the lid) is adapted to rock about an axis extending through such points, so that the mouth of the container is to that extent enabled to adapt itself to the general plane of the seating surface of the lid. It is thus possible through the different movements of the lid and the container, which occur automatically When the container is pushed into position on the runners, to ensure a very close seating of the lid on the container mouth with consequent sealing of the container even where the thickness of flange or the interior surface of the mouth of different containers are not uniformly the same.

Such automatic adjustments of position of the co-acting parts will be seen, for example, in Fig. 1, when the container is adapted to rock in the plane of the paper, about supports on the runners on the axis of the container, while the lid is adapted to rock at right angles to the plane of the paper about an axis extending through lugs l0, [0, the lid also beinglable to swing somewhat in other planes as well as to move up or down, when the tongues 8 are resilient.

It will be observed that in all forms of the device means are provided above the lid comprising an abutment (such as strip II in Fig. 1), which have a reactive relation with the lid and also with the runners, (through the intermediary of the lid and the flange of the container), to

force the :lid into firm seating engagement with the container mouth when the container :is pushed into supported position all of thesaid parts being constructed and shaped to cause this effect to take place.

Having described my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. :a holder for containers having downwardly facing peripheral flanges near the tops thereof, the combination of a support, a pair of extending therefrom adapted to engage beneath the peripheral flange of a container when said flange is pushed thereon to support-the container at opposite sides of said flange, a lid positioned for-sliding movement forward and back above said runners, coacting means on said .lid and support for forcing .said lid down into close seating engagement with the mouth of a container when the latter is pushed into supported position with its flange engaging said runners, and detent means for preventing inadvertent .removal of said lid from the holder when the container is withdrawn from said runners.

2. In a holder for containers, having downwardly facing peripheral flanges near the tops thereof, the combination of a support, a pair of runners extending therefrom adapted to engage beneath the peripheral flange of a container when said flange is pushed thereon to support the container at opposite sides of :said flange, a lid positioned for sliding movement, forward and back abovesaid runners, said support having a portion extending above said lid, :resilientnreans interposed between said portion an'drlid and secured to one of the same, for forcing said lid down into close seating engagement with the mouth of .a container when the flange of the latter is pushed onto said runners, and detent means for preventing inadvertent removal of said lid from the .holder when the container is withdrawn from said runners.

3. In a holder for containers, having downwardly facing peripheral flanges near the tops thereof, the combination of a support, a pair of runners extending therefrom, adapted to engage beneath the peripheral flange of a container when said flange is pushed thereon to support the container at opposite sides of said flange, a lid, positioned for sliding movement, forward and back above said runners, said lid and support having portions inclined with relation to each other, said portions being positioned to force said lid into close seating engagement with the mouth of a container when the flange of the latter is pushed onto said runners, and detent means for preventing inadvertent removal of said lid from the holder when the container is withdrawn from said runners.

4. In a holder for containers, having downwardly facing peripheral flanges at their upper ends, the combination of a support adapted to be secured to a fixed surface and having upper and lower elements, one above the other, said lower elements comprising a pair of runners adapted to engage beneath opposite sides of the peripheral flange of a container when said flange is pushed thereon to support said container at opposite sides of said flange, a separate lid positioned between said upper and lower support elements for limited sliding movement therebetween, said lid and one of said support elements having surfaces inclined with relation to each other positioned, to force said lid progressively into 101058 seating engagement with the mouth of a container when the flange of said container is pushed onto said runwhat .1 claim 7, ners, beneath said lid, with an upper bearing surface of said lid engaging against an under bearing surface of said upper support element and detent means to prevent inadvertent removal of said lid from the holder.

5. In a holder for containers having downwardly facing peripheral flanges near the tops thereof, the combination of a pair of runners rigidly secured to a fixed support and adapted to engage under opposite sides of the peripheral flange of a container when said flange is pushed thereon to support said container at opposite points of said flange, a separate lid mounted above said runners for limited rocking and linear movements above the same, and means above said lid comprising an abutment engaged by an upper surface of said lid, when said flange of the container is pushed onto said runners, said means, lid and runners, being constructed and shaped to force the lid into close seating engagement with the mouth of a container when the flange of said container is pushed onto said runners beneath said lid.

6. In a holder for containers having downwardly facing peripheral flanges at their upper ends, the combination of a support adapted to be secured to a fixed surface and having upper and lower elements, said lower elements comprising a pair of runners adapted to engage beneath opposite sides of the peripheral flange of a container when said flange is pushed thereon to support the same, and a separate lid positioned between said upper and lower support elements for limited movement between the same, said lid and support elements constituting three members at least one of which is resiliently yieldable in a plane approximately normal to said support elements, said lid being of suitable thickness to fill the space between said upper support element and the mouth of a container and to seat closely upon the latter with an upper surface thereof contacting against the under surface of said upper support element when the flange of the container is pushed onto said runners beneath said lid and the said yieldable member has yielded sufficiently to enable such position of said lid to be taken.

"7. In a holder for containers having downwardly facing peripheral flanges at their upper ends, the combination of a support adapted to be secured to a fixed surface and having upper and lower elements, said lower elements comprising a series of pairs of runners for supporting an equal number of containers, each pair being adapted to engage beneath opposite sides of the peripheral flange of a container when such flange is pushed thereon, said upper support element comprising a substantially horizontal strip extending above said pairs of runners, said runners being supported from said upper support element, and a separate lid positioned above each pair of runners for limited movement between said runners and upper support element, said upper support element constituting an abutment engaged by an upper surface of any one of said lids when the flange of a container is pushed onto the pair of runners beneath said lid, said upper and lower support elements and lids being constituted and shaped to force any one of said lids into close seating engagement with the mouth of a container when the flange of said container is pushed onto the runners beneath the same.

JEROME FRANCIS KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,200,207 McAdam Oct, 3, 1916 1,825,975 Patenge Oct. 6, 1931 1,902,354 Corke et a1 Mar. 21 ,1933

Certificate of Correction Patent N0. 2,480,411 August 30, 1949 v JEROlVIE FRANCIS KENNEDY It is hereby certified that erroiabpears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

In the grant, line 16, and in the headingto the printed specification, line 8, date of expiration of patent, for January 23, 1963 read January 23, 1965;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice. Signed and sealed this day of October, A. D. 1950.

[Sun] THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

